In transmigration novels, heroines are supposed to turn their lives around for the better, moving from thatched huts to spacious mansions. So why did things go in reverse for her?
At the very least, she started off in a small, dark tile-roofed house and then, after marrying Jin Zijin, moved into a thatched hut. Now, she’d hit rock bottom, without even a hut to live in, resorting to a cave like some primitive human!
Jin Zijin’s silence was making Gu Youyou’s heart grow colder. As she watched him lay out a bed on a smooth, large rock, she couldn’t hold back any longer and blurted out a question.
"Zijin, why do you keep silent?"
Jin Zijin didn’t answer her but instead sat down by the bed, gazing at her.
Gu Youyou, growing anxious, pressed on, "If you’re not happy, scold me, okay? Just don’t be . If it’s really necessary, I’ll compensate you with a house."
Their brief months together had cemented his irreplaceable place in her heart. With nowhere else to go for the moment, she didn’t want a simple thatched hut to drive a wedge between them!
It was just a house, after all. With her lifetime’s medical skills, she would be able to earn enough to buy him a house sooner or later.
Gu Youyou, pale with illness, looked pitiful as she stared at him, awaiting his response like a little abandoned creature. Even she would be startled by such a sight.
Gu Youyou grew up without parents, always more mature than her siblings and never learned to act spoiled. Yet, here she was, displaying such a girlish demeanor in front of Jin Zijin.
Could it be that these past few months of being ill had even eroded her proud character?
She used to believe that no one in this world was indispensable to anyone else.
Besides herself, there was no one else she could truly rely on.
Her grandfather was good to her, but he had always taught her that he couldn’t protect her forever. To have firm control over the Gu Family, she had to rely on herself.
Pondering this, Gu Youyou’s expression flickered, teetering on the edge of withdrawal, yet she couldn’t bear to pull away.
Perhaps she truly couldn’t bear to part with Jin Zijin... This seemingly disheveled man.
"What is there for me to scold you about?"
When Gu Youyou thought Jin Zijin wouldn’t speak, he finally did just as she was about to withdraw.
His question left her speechless. After a long pause, she said, "I burned down your house, the only property you had. Now you have no place to live, only this cave."
"Aren’t you supposed to scold me? Call me a spendthrift who does more harm than good, someone who can’t even cook without burning the house down. What use do I have for you? I should divorce you..."
"Uh..." Gu Youyou paused, then added, "Perhaps I judged a gentleman’s heart with a petty mind. If you’re more open-minded and think it’s just a house that burned down and we can rebuild it later. Then you could say to me... ’Youyou, don’t be too sad. As long as you’re safe, it’s all that matters. A home has nothing to do with a house. Remember, where you are is home!’"
Jin Zijin’s face was contorted with discomfort, feeling that if Gu Youyou continued, he might lose his composure.
Wanting to get some fresh air, Jin Zijin started walking out of the cave, leaving Gu Youyou so startled that she immediately clammed up.
Disappointment filled her face, along with barely concealed panic as she watched his retreating figure. Without a second thought, she grabbed him from behind, holding on for dear life.
This time, her anxiety was genuine, and her heartbeat raced.
She wanted to live and was unsure if she could survive without Jin Zijin at this point.
The person responsible for poisoning her was still a mystery, but since Jin Zijin was willing to take her out, he must know something.